The Exorcism of Emily Rose Page #3

- Objection. Argumentative. | - Withdrawn.

No further questions.

We have to work fast.

They're only giving me an hour | with you tonight.

Listen.

Before we get started, | there's something I have to tell you...

...something I should've said to you | before I let you take the case.

Okay.

There are forces | surrounding this trial.

Dark, powerful forces.

Just be careful, Erin. | Watch your step.

I see.

Look...

Father, you don't have to worry | about me.

I'm an agnostic, remember?

Demons exist, | whether you believe in them or not.

Your involvement in this trial might | just open you up to their attacks.

Look, Father, | I appreciate your concern...

...but you need to be worried | about yourself.

Ethan Thomas is using the medical | aspects of this case as ammunition...

...and I have to be prepared | for his attacks, so...

...with what little time we have, I think | we need to focus on your defense.

Now, what I need from you is more | information about Emily's condition.

Specific details of how it progressed | after the dorm-room episode.

Well, after the first incident...

...she was sent to the university | hospital for testing and observation.

Emily once told me that in her | dorm room, she resisted the demons...

...but at the hospital | they overcame her.

So she believed...

...that her possession | began at the hospital?

Yeah, I think she did.

And after that, things just went | from bad to worse.

Emily!

Emily?

Oh, my God. Emily?

Don't touch me.

Jason, please...

...don't leave me.

And I never did leave her.

I stayed until the end.

So much of what we shared | was like a nightmare...

...but I wouldn't give up | a single minute I spent with her.

She woke me up, you know?

To things I never felt before, | things I never knew I could feel.

I never knew how dead I was | until I met her.

where James Van Hopper...

a controversial trial...

- ... has apparently struck again.

this quiet suburban home...

murdered a young couple today.

say that Van Hopper...

of murder charges in April...

both of the victims.

pending family notification.

Most glorious prince | of the heavenly army...

...holy Michael, the archangel...

...defend us in battle | against the princes...

...powers and rulers of darkness.

Counsel Bruner, my courtroom day | begins at 9:30 a.m.

- I'm sorry, Your Honor, l... | - Which was 17 minutes ago.

Ready to proceed?

Yes, Your Honor.

Dr. Briggs, please state | your qualifications for the court.

I have advanced degrees | in medicine...

...psychiatry and neurology | from Johns Hopkins...

...and I have had three books | and several dozen papers published...

...in the fields of neurology | and neuropsychiatry.

What was the cause of death, | as determined by the autopsy?

The decedent expired due to a gradual | shutdown of the bodily functions.

Why did her body shut down?

The autopsy found | that it was a cumulative effect...

...from numerous physical traumas | exacerbated by malnutrition...

...which severely inibited her ability | to recuperate from those traumas.

In other words, her starving body | had little or no means to recover...

...from the injuries it was sustaining, | and so it eventually just gave out.

How did Emily get these injuries?

Some were the result | of violent epileptic seizures...

...and some were self-inflicted.

And why, in your opinion, | did Emily injure herself...

...and why did she stop eating?

Upon review | of her complete medical file...

...I concluded that Emily's epilepsy | had evolved...

...into a condition known as | psychotic epileptic disorder.

This is a rare development, | to be sure...

...but one that I have witnessed | numerous times.

- Emily was epileptic and psychotic? | - Yes.

Explain how this psychotic epileptic | disorder would manifest itself.

The seizures would have | the symptoms of schizophrenia...

and visual hallucinations...

... and sometimes extreme paranoia.

and slightly contort the body.

making the eyes appear black.

So you believe | that Emily had epilepsy...

...which developed into | a form of violent psychosis...

...a condition that can be controlled | with Gambutrol?

Yes. And it would've been, | if she'd continued her treatment.

In your opinion, if Emily | had continued with her medication...

...would she be alive today? | - Absolutely.

If treated early, psychotic epileptic | disorder is rarely fatal.

I mean, this...

This was a very sick girl.

The defendant should've realized | that Emily was in need...

...of continued medical treatment.

Thank you, doctor. Your witness.

Doctor, you testified that Gambutrol | could've controlled Emily's condition.

How do you know that?

It's the inevitable result | of taking the drug.

It would've controlled | her seizures...

...which were the root cause | of her psychosis.

But wasn't Emily still experiencing | psychotic symptoms...

...even after she started | taking the medication?

Yes. Because Gambutrol | has a cumulative effect.

It takes time to build up | in the system.

You assume that Gambutrol would've | helped her, but you don't know.

It's a reasonable assumption, but...

No, of course, I can't be certain.

Doctor, is "psychotic epileptic | disorder" a common medical term...

...or did you just make it up?

Well, I distinguished | and named the...

So psychotic epileptic disorder | is really your own pet theory?

- Objection. Argumentative. | - Sustained.

When Emily chose | to stop her medical treatment...

...what do you think | should've been done?

Upon recognizing her condition...

...I would have tranquilized her | and force-fed her.

And then, if necessary...

...I would've treated her | with electroconvulsive therapy.

Electroshock treatment. You would've | done this against her will?

To save her life?

Absolutely.

Nothing further.

The witness may step down.

Your Honor, I offer into evidence this | photograph as People's Exhibit 3-A.

And having done so, | the people rest.

The photograph is entered | into evidence.

We are recessed until | tomorrow morning, 9:30 sharp...

...at which time the defense | will give its opening statement...

...and call its first witness.

I'm sorry I was late.

I didn't get a lot of sleep. Big power | outage knocked out my alarm clock.

- It won't happen again. | - No, I didn't sleep either.

What kept you awake?

Doesn't matter.

You're under attack.

What are you talking about?

You're in a spiritual battle, Erin.

The forces of darkness are trying | to keep you away from the light.

Don't let them.

Don't worry about today. | We're doing fine.

We're getting creamed. | I can't believe I walked right into that.

Look, if we don't find a doctor | to testify that Emily...

...wasn't epileptic or schizophrenic | or schizo-epileptic, we're gonna lose.

Care of the city's main branch | and the university library...

...I bring you another dozen | fun-filled books...

...about the demonic | and the mentally deranged.

They burned women at the stake...

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